by Kristy Love
“What are you doing here?” I hardly ever saw him now that I lived in Fairfax. The few times I’d gone home to see my mom¸ I always caught up with him, but that wasn’t very frequent.
“My sister’s getting married and the wedding’s in town.”
I couldn’t fight the cringe. Any mention of weddings or marriages made me sick to my stomach, even after all this time. “You couldn’t resist the urge for a hookup, huh?”
He chuckled, his eyes crinkling in the corners. “I’m here with the guys.” He gestured toward the other side of the dance floor where a raucous group of men hung out and were calling out to any female who walked by. “A bachelor party.” His hand ran up my bare arm and to my shoulder. He cupped my chin and stroked my skin with his thumb. His eyes were glued to my lips and he moved in closer. A few more inches and he’d be able to kiss me. The heat that swirled in my stomach caused me to lean up, ready to kiss him. Kurt was a sure thing, which was convenient since I was a sure thing, too.
My eyes swept the club and collided with a pair of icy blues. I jerked away from Kurt, staring unabashedly at David. His arm was around the waist of a woman, but I couldn’t really see her. I saw him in his white button-down shirt, the way it fit tight enough to be enticing, but not so tight that it looked bad.
He drew the woman in closer to his side. My eyes flicked to her. She had dark hair, almost black. She rested her head against his shoulder as they walked toward the bar. The entire time, David’s eyes were glued to mine and he smirked, somehow knowing he was getting under my skin.
Two could play at this game.
I moved in closer to Kurt, laying my hand against his chest and pressing my body into his, gazing up at him. “I’m happy to see you.”
“I’m happy to see you, too.” He checked over his shoulder, clearly searching out whatever had distracted me. I turned him back to me with two fingers and planted a kiss on the side of his mouth, effectively drawing his attention back to me.
He gave me a lingering smile, but the burning in my blood was missing. I didn’t feel it the way I felt David’s smile or David’s touch. My eyes wandered back to David to find him still staring at me. His eyes followed the curve of my arm and zeroed in on where my palm rested against Kurt’s chest. He locked gazes with me and his jaw tensed. I felt a sick satisfaction that it seemed to bother him.
The woman on his side drew his attention away from the war brewing between our eyes. He led her toward a table, where they sat down with another couple.
“Buy me another drink,” I said to Kurt, my eyes still trained on David. Kurt, of course, obliged.
The rest of the night passed in a blur. Kurt and I danced, he bought me drinks, I drank, and I groped him any time I noticed David looking at me.
And David gazed at me almost nonstop.
I drained my drink and placed it on the table, pretending to listen to Kurt and his friends as they discussed the upcoming wedding. I was wedged between Kurt and a beautiful hunk of man whose name I hadn’t caught. He was tall and had muscles that almost put him in another zip code, but my eyes were focused on the seductive dance David was performing on the dance floor with Crystal. I had no idea what her name really was, but I dubbed her Crystal.
She writhed against him, grinding her ass into his crotch, but his eyes were trained on me, watching me the entire time his body moved with hers. I had no idea what he was trying to prove, other than unnerving me. He hadn’t spoken a word to me or approached me, though he kept a close eye on me. Any time I approached the dance floor with Kurt, he somehow ended up at the bar, nursing a beer as he watched me with intense eyes.
“Kurt, baby.” I tried to stand from my seat, but stumbled over my own feet. “A drink. I need another one.” I gave Kurt what was meant to be a sweet smile, though my face was a little numb so I had no idea if it was a smile or a grimace or if it looked like I was trying to hold in the vomit because it sure as hell felt as though I was about to puke all over my shoes.
And I loved these shoes. Vomit would clash with the beauty of them. I looked down and admired them, though they blurred and my vision swirled.
Kurt guided me onto a stool and handed me an open bottle of water. “Drink up.”
I took long pulls from it, relieved that it was water instead of alcohol. Suddenly alcohol didn’t seem like a good idea.
“Thanks.” No sooner had I placed the empty bottle on the table in front of me than he handed me another. “If I didn’t know better, I’d swear you were trying to sober me up.”
“Not sobering you up, babe, just trying to keep your hangover from being too bad.”
I pulled him close until he was between my legs. “Thanks for looking out for me.” I wound my arms around his neck, my fingers getting lost in the hair at the base of his skull. “You always look out for me.”
“Always, babe.” He leaned in and kissed me. It was a sweet kiss, a kiss that should have set my body on fire and made me want more. Before. Before David showed back up. Before I was eye-locked with David while I was lip-locked with Kurt.
I deepened the kiss, pressing into Kurt. I willed myself to close my eyes and get lost in the moment with him, but my eyes stubbornly stayed glued to David. His arm was draped across Crystal’s shoulders and he smirked at me. That damn smirk. As though he was aware I was trying to make him jealous and he was letting me know it didn’t bother him at all.
I was suddenly remarkably sober, and needed a bathroom. Badly.
“I have to go to the lady’s room.” I hopped down from the stool. “I’ll be back.
“I’ll be here.” Kurt smiled. The entire time I walked across the room, I could feel David’s eyes on me. I breathed a sigh of relief once I was in the bathroom, away from his intensity.
I went to the bathroom and checked my makeup in the mirror as I washed my hands. The bathroom was large and the lights burned my eyes, especially after how dim the rest of the club was. A few women were chatting a few sinks down from me. I sighed. My makeup was smeared from sweating on the dance floor so I splashed my face with water and freshened it, then reapplied my lip gloss. My mouth felt like it had a sock in it, so I rinsed it out with cool water.
I was about to exit when David stormed in. He didn’t pause when he entered the women’s room, even when the chatting women exclaimed at his intrusion. He breezed in and cornered me against the wall, next to the paper towel dispenser. My eyes widened and my chest heaved. He cupped my face in his hand and pulled my hips flush with his.
Then he kissed me. No, kiss wasn’t a strong enough word. He consumed me. He stole my breath, my thoughts, and my mind. I threw myself around him to keep from collapsing into a heap on the floor. My knees shook, my toes curled, my blood heated and raced through my veins.
I wanted him. I wanted him bad.
He kissed me so long and so hard that my chest heaved and my heart raced painfully in my chest. He pulled away, his eyes glazed with desire. He rubbed his thumb over my lip before placing a chaste kiss on my cheek, turning, and leaving the bathroom.
I was a mess against the wall, staring after him, wondering if I had extra panties in my bag. How in the fuck was I supposed to be okay going home with Kurt after that kiss?
I composed myself and made my way back to the bar. David’s eyes burned into me and I met his gaze immediately. His arm was wrapped around Crystal and he guided her out of the club, holding my eyes until he walked out the door.
What the actual fuck was that?
I arrived back at the bar and ordered another drink, waving Kurt off. I was too occupied with thoughts of David and how he could share that earth-shattering kiss with me and then leave with her.
And even more importantly, why the fuck did I care so much?
Shortly after David left, I told Kurt I felt sick and I needed to leave. I was way too tipsy to drive, so I called a cab. Kurt offered to drive me home. I knew what he wanted. He wanted to come back to my place so we could hook up, but I wasn’t feeling it. Not tonight. I still
felt David on my lips and smelled him on my clothes.
I didn’t want to erase that.
Plus, for the first time ever, I wasn’t into Kurt. He was fun and I liked hanging out with him, but I wasn’t into him. I didn’t want to sleep with him, even if it would be a good distraction from David, but that’d be unfair to him. I didn’t want to use him that way.
Why did David fuck me up so much? Why did he make me question things I shouldn’t want to question?
Once the cab pulled up to the curb, Kurt gave me a hug and attempted to kiss me. I turned my head so he kissed only my cheek. My feelings for him were shifting firmly into the friend category. Once I was in the cab and we pulled away, I rested my head against the back of the seat and closed my eyes. My finger traced over my lips. I still felt the stubble from David on my cheeks. His taste lingered. I yearned for him.
And that scared me. I didn’t want to feel the stirrings of interest. He was attractive and interesting. There was something mysterious about him, and he sure as hell was intriguing. Opening myself up to him would be too much, though. I couldn’t lose myself to anyone else. I needed to keep my feet planted firmly on the ground and my heart lodged firmly in my chest.
I couldn’t afford to be hurt again. I wouldn’t allow it.
David
FUCK MY DESIRE to help Roxie. As soon as I saw her strut across the parking lot, I knew I was in over my head. Watching her ass move in her tight skirt and the way her legs were long and sinful . . . I knew I needed to have her again. I watched her enter the building and was heading inside even before I got Mia’s call on the shop phone that Roxie needed help.
I should have gotten her car up and running and then sent her on her way as nothing more than a distant memory. That should have been enough for me, but instead, I wanted her again. I needed her again.
Every time I saw her, it was as though her body called to mine. I wanted to reacquaint myself with her curves and the way our bodies moved so perfectly together. The one night we shared was fucking hot. I was sure we could reignite that fire.
I should have let her be someone else’s problem. Someone who would give a damn beyond the one night. Instead, I sold her a fucking car. I flirted with her. I tested the waters to see if she’d be interested in being with me again. The entire time she was in my office, I wanted to lay her out on the desk. It took serious willpower to not rip her clothes off right then.
When I overheard that she was going to a club with one of her friends, I immediately made plans to be there. Once Roxie was out of the shop, I was on the phone with my friend, making plans to hit up Sky Lounge. Of course, I invited a few females to come with us.
I sure as fuck didn’t want to come across as desperate.
Now, here I sat, Melody chatting away about something inane while I watched Roxie dance. She was with some douche, moving with the rhythm down toward the ground before slowly grinding her way back up, her hands trailing along his body. Her body signaled that she was completely interested in him, but her eyes were trained on me with an intensity that burned. As she turned around and lifted her arms around his neck, her eyes stayed with me, almost daring me to come over and claim her.
The air crackled with awareness as we stared at each other, making promises with our eyes that our bodies would eventually keep. I didn’t doubt that I’d have her again. It was only a matter of time.
What threw me off were the feelings brewing inside me. The entire time she was with this guy, something primitive inside me flared and snarled. Part of me wanted to charge over and kiss her, to show both her and the guy she was with that I had her attention.
Melody moved closer to me, her lips brushing my ear. “David, I want to dance with you,” she purred in my ear. Melody was the woman I was with the most. Normally, I enjoyed her company and wanted to show her off, but tonight she was like an annoying fly buzzing around me. I wanted to watch Roxie.
This desire made no sense.
I grabbed Melody’s hand and pulled her to the dance floor, pulling off my own erotic moves and then witnessing Roxie and her guy leave the dance floor.
I should stop watching them, but I couldn’t take my eyes off her. I wanted her so bad my body ached.
Dancing with Mel was fine, though my mind was elsewhere. I watched Roxie drain a bottle of water, though her eyes were trained on me. Mel pressed her ass into me and I grabbed her hips out of habit. Roxie moved so the guy stood in front of her and kissed him. She kissed him like she wanted to go home with him, yet she kept her eyes on me. It turned me on more than Mel’s desperate dancing.
It was amazing foreplay.
Before long, Roxie disappeared down the hallway and I wanted to follow her. I needed to follow her. I led Melody off the dance floor and got her a drink.
“Excuse me a moment,” I said to her. I didn’t wait around for her to answer, I strode down the corridor that led to the bathrooms. Pushing the ladies’ door open, I almost ran into Roxie. Her eyes went wide and her jaw dropped. All I could picture was that guy’s lips on hers.
I wanted to erase his taste from her mouth.
Moving fast, I pressed her against the wall and I kissed her. I fit my body into hers so I could feel all her delicious curves and I consumed her. I stole her breath, her thoughts, and her body. The little whimpers that escaped her spurred me on.
She wanted this as much as I did.
I kissed her until I was sure the guy out at the bar was erased from her thoughts. I wanted her to leave here tonight and think of me instead of going home with him. I rubbed my thumb over her lip, proud that I smudged her lipstick and thought about how much I wanted her. I wasn’t going to have her tonight. I needed to come up with a game plan first.
So, I kissed her cheek and left. There was no need to say or do anything more.
I left the club with Melody, though I dropped her off at home. Alone.
I saw no one but Roxie, and thoughts of catching her swirled in my mind. I never really settled down before because no one caught my eye or held my attention. It was too soon to tell if Roxie was more than just a good time, but I was interested in finding out. I wanted to spend time with her, I wanted to lose myself inside her. She called to me like a siren, and I wasn’t sure I could avoid her song.
After tasting her lips, I couldn’t resist tasting her again. I wanted her again, badly.
I just had to figure out how to make that happen.
Roxie
I GROANED AND rolled over, smacking at the bedside table until I finally hit the clock. In my infinite, and drunken, wisdom, I forgot to turn my alarm off.
When the fucking alarm was finally silenced, I rolled back into the bed and covered my head with a pillow. I was amazed I was back in my own bed. The night had gotten crazy and I had way too many drinks. I had a hangover from hell, my car was still at the club, and I felt sick.
Great way to kick off the weekend.
My phone rang and I ignored it, leaving my head under the pillow.
Just as I was falling back asleep, my doorbell rang. “Seriously? What is this? A fucking zoo today?” I mumbled to myself as I flung the covers off and pulled my robe on. I stomped to the door, prepared to rip whoever was there a new asshole.
I opened the door and my very pregnant sister was there. “Roxie.” Her face lit up in a huge smile. She didn’t wait for me to invite her in, instead she waddled around me and plopped down on the couch. “I called and you didn’t answer, so I stopped over to take you to breakfast.”
Did no one ask anymore? Was I living in an alternate reality where people demanded and just showed up? “I was sleeping, Cass.”
She looked at me, her eyes full of sadness. “Oh, well, I guess I’ll leave. I just needed some time with you, I think. The baby’s due any time; I’m nervous about how Ben will take it. Jax is going out of his mind preparing for everything. I’m just stressed out. And I miss you. I’m afraid once this baby is here, we’ll never see each other.”
I turned toward the doo
r, closed it, and squeezed my eyes shut. There was no way I could send my emotionally distraught, pregnant sister off on her own. “It’s okay. Let me take a shower and then we’ll go, okay?”
“Perfect!”
I sighed and went into the bathroom. After a fast shower, I got dressed and went out to find Cassie asleep on the couch.
Pregnancy was weird as hell. I’d seen my mild mannered sister go from completely happy to sobbing hysterically and then angry as hell. I’d also seen her eat a dump truck full of food.
As I said, pregnancy was weird.
I debated whether to wake her, but there’d be hell to pay if I let her sleep. I gave her shoulder a gentle shake.
“I’m sorry, Rox. I’m hardly sleeping. Between the baby moving and this giant belly, I can’t get comfortable for long.”
“It’s almost over.” I smiled, hoping I was being encouraging.
“Yeah, it is.” She hauled herself off the couch, pressing a hand to her back. “Let’s go get pancakes. I really want some.”
Cassie and Jax had gotten married only a month or so after she got pregnant. Jax and Ben were bonding ridiculously well and everything seemed to be going great for her. Unfortunately, my sister had no idea how to handle it when things went right. She was used to disasters and struggles. It was a hard adjustment for her, though one she was happy to make.
Since my car was still at the club, we took Cassie’s. She offered to drop me off to pick it up after breakfast, though. At the restaurant, we both ordered pancakes and eggs. Cassie sat back in her seat and studied me.
“Are you seeing anyone?” she asked. I fought an eye roll. She was so concerned with me being alone that she had turned into a nag about my relationship status.
“Nope. Just enjoying single life.”
“Roxie, you need to settle down. You’re nearing thirty.”
“I still have four years until I’m thirty. What if I don’t want to settle down? Am I going to turn into a spinster or something?”